Live Video, Web2.0, Rich Media, Custom Content

Desktop Screen Sharing with Flash Video Chat Software

Web based flash applications can't access desktop directly. Screen sharing can be done easily after installing a driver or software that captures the screen and simulates a webcam. There are multiple webcam simulation drivers of this type, both commercial and free software packages.

With the screen capture driver enabled you just have to select the new "webcam" in flash (right click the flash and select from settings in any flash video chat software). You may need to restart browser after activating such solution for new item to show up. Only the user that shares his screen needs to have this type of driver installed. Those running tutoring, consultation, support websites can purchase a commercial software package that includes this type of driver (i.e. Camtasia Recorder with the Live Output feature). Most drivers allow defining a zone to capture and even resizing the output. Chat applications usually require a 320x240 webcam stream at 15fps so you should configure output to that if possible.

Another popular method for screen sharing (as seen on youtube), but less professional is pointing your webcam to the screen.

Here is an older test with the VH Screen Capture driver:

dd-Ons:Screen Capture DirectShow source filter.

For best screen sharing use 2 monitors (ie. laptop screen + external monitor): on one you put the application, window or element that you want to share, on the other you put the Flash video chat application which most probably will also display your screen video feed using the screen-share driver.

Screen size and video streaming size are not the same: The screen sharing driver might capture the entire screen ie 1920x1080 or a zone, but the video chat software might request only a lower ie 320×240 area. Different drivers have different ways of handling this: 1) stretch down the whole screen to fit 320×240 or 2) provide only the 320×240 area around the mouse (VH) or 3) provide only the 420×240 area around the center of the screen (Live Output and UScreenCapture).

I am the developer of a software called ScreenCamera that allows users to stream the desktop inside video chatting programs and websites such as Skype, Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AOL Messenger, blogTV, Justin.tv, Mogulus, and so on.

ScreenCamera has a free version that streams the desktop without any cost or any limitation. The paid version supports webcams allowing to users to stream desktop and webcam together and also use the webcam on multiple programs at the same time.

It is a free desktop sharing program that has the only downside of having to shrink the desktop to 320×240 pixels that is the resolution most video chatting programs and websites use. It makes up for it allowing the user to follow the cursor or select regions of the desktop and by not interfering with the live video chatting.